Neurosurgical skills conference for medical students: A before and after study

Abstract

Background: Undergraduate conferences may improve exposure to neurosurgery among medical students. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of a neurosurgical skills conference on medical students' comprehension and perceptions of the specialty.

Methods: A before-and-after (BA) study design was employed to assess the effects of a conference that integrated presentations with hands-on sessions. Practical workshops covered craniotomy, spinal fixation, surface anatomy, intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring, basic surgical skills, and microsurgical simulation. Pre-conference and post-conference surveys, utilizing Likert scales, gauged participants' attitudes, prior neurosurgical exposure, and understanding of neurosurgical skills. Statistical analysis was conducted on dichotomized responses.

Results: Thirty-one participants completed both surveys, with the majority being 1^st and 2^nd-year medical students. Among the participants, 58.1% were female, and 77.4% identified with BAME ethnicities. Following the conference, there was a notable increase in comprehension regarding neurosurgical careers (from 58.1% to 96.8%, P < 0.001) and training criteria (from 22.6% to 93.5%, P < 0.001). The conference enhanced knowledge of indications for craniotomy (P < 0.001), ICP monitoring (P < 0.001), and spinal fixation (P < 0.001). Participants reported improved understanding of the steps involved in craniotomy (P < 0.001), familiarity with basic cranial surgical surface anatomy (P < 0.001), and confidence in performing basic surgical instrument ties (P < 0.001). Although interest in pursuing a career in neurosurgery remained high (from 87.1% to 90.3%, P = 1.000), a majority of participants, both BA the conference, expressed concerns about the impact on personal life (from 58.1% to 64.5%, P = 0.774).

Conclusion: This study underscores the role of undergraduate mixed-method conferences in augmenting understanding of neurosurgery and nurturing early interest.

Keywords: Conference; Education; Medical students; Neurosurgical skills; Simulation training.

Figure 1:

Overview of conference proceedings. The morning session consisted of whole-session lectures. The afternoon consisted of small rotating groups with hands on practical workshops. “AM” and “PM” are used to denote morning and afternoon sessions, respectively.

Figure 2:

Set-up for craniotomy simulation. Brown coconuts were fixed using either (a) 3-point (DORO^®) skull clamps or (b) Bar clamps. (c) Medtronic^® high-speed drills with drill head and craniotome attachments were used, alongside a corresponding foot-pedal.

Figure 3:

Set-up for microsurgical simulation. Cardboard boxes were used to design the microsurgical simulator pictured above. Participants were asked to place their phones into the cut-out, allowing for their phone cameras to serve as viewfinders. Participants were next asked to shade squared paper in a specific pattern using their phone as a viewfinder.